How to Get a Talent Manager as an Influencer

Most creators start looking for a manager at the same point: brand emails pile up, rates feel like guesses, and there's less time left to make content. That point is also what managers look for, because it means there's income to manage.

This guide covers when to start, what managers check before signing someone, how to prepare and reach out, and which offers to walk away from. If you want the job description first, read what a talent manager does.

When should an influencer get a talent manager?

Get a manager when brand interest is steady enough that handling it yourself costs you content, money or both.

Look back over the last 6 months. A manager can probably earn their commission if brands contacted you most weeks, you priced deals by guessing, or you signed something and later found the usage rights were worth more than the fee.

Size is only part of the picture. Managers weigh how much brands already pay for your audience and how much room there is to grow it, so a creator with 40k followers and steady deals in a focused niche can be a better fit than a bigger account with no brand history.

What do talent managers look for before signing a creator?

Managers look for income they can grow: steady brand demand, an audience brands want to reach, and a creator who delivers on time.

Audience quality has a legal edge now. The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, in effect since October 21, 2024, makes it a violation to buy fake indicators of social media influence when you knew or should have known they were fake and they misrepresent your influence for a commercial purpose (16 CFR 465.8). The rule's definition covers followers, subscribers, views, likes, shares and comments generated by bots or by accounts that aren't tied to a person.

Niche fit works both ways. Look for a manager whose roster already includes creators like you. Ours covers health and wellness, fitness, lifestyle, sports, dance, acting and music, across 107 creators, athletes and entrepreneurs.

How do you prepare before reaching out?

Put together 3 things before your first email: a media kit, a 1-page deal and income summary, and links to 2 or 3 brand campaigns you're proud of.

The media kit covers who you are, who your audience is (using numbers from your platform analytics), your best-performing content and the brands you've worked with. Keep it to a few pages.

The 1-page summary lists every paid deal from the last 12 months: brand, deliverables, fee, usage terms and whether the brand came back. Add platform payouts, affiliate income and anything else you earn, so a manager can see what there is to grow.

Tidy up the rest while you're at it. Put a business email in your bio, check that your link-in-bio page loads, and make sure your recent posts show the niche you're pitching.

How do you find and contact a talent manager?

Start with managers who already represent creators like you, then apply through their form or send a short email that leads with numbers.

To build a shortlist, check the business contact on profiles of creators in your niche (it often names their management company), read management companies' roster pages, and ask creators you've worked with on campaigns. If a management company has an application form, use it, since that's the route its team has set up for new creators.

If you're emailing, keep it under 150 words and put the numbers up top:

``` Subject: Representation inquiry: [your name], [niche], [main platform]

Hi [name],

I'm [your name], a [niche] creator with [audience size] on [platform] and [audience size] on [platform]. My audience is mostly [location, age range].

In the last 12 months I've done [number] paid brand deals, including [category] brands, and I get about [number] brand inquiries a month. My media kit and a 1-page deal summary are attached.

I'm looking for management to help with pricing, contracts and building [the income line you want next]. You represent creators in [niche], which is why I'm writing to you.

Would you be open to a 20-minute call?

[Your name] [Links] ```

If you think you'd be a fit for 1DS, you can apply for representation.

What happens after a manager says yes?

Expect a call or 2, then a proposed management agreement to review before anything is signed.

On the call, the manager will want to understand your goals, your current deals and any contracts you're already in, especially exclusivity terms. It's also your chance to interview them, and our 15 questions to ask a talent manager cover what to ask.

When the agreement arrives, check the commission rate and base, the term, the exit terms and who owns your accounts. Ask which services the commission includes (you can see the 10 we offer on our services page), then have your own entertainment lawyer read the contract.

After you sign, plan a handover of your brand inbox, open deals, rate history and upcoming deliverables. Ask for a first-90-days plan too, covering rates they'd raise, categories to go after and new income lines.

Which red flags mean you should walk away?

Walk away from upfront fees, pressure to sign fast, guaranteed income promises and contracts that commission everything you earn with no end date.

Other warning signs:

• A manager with no roster you can check, or no creators you can call.
• Promises of a set income, or of deals with named brands, before they've seen your numbers.
• Pressure to sign on the first call, or reluctance to send the contract to your lawyer.
• Commission on income you earned before signing, or a sunset clause with no end date.
• Requests for your passwords, or accounts registered in the manager's name.

For what fair commission terms look like, see how much influencer managers take.